Ohio State trying not to overlook Florida A&M

COLUMBUS — You’re not always going to like the cards dealt to you.
In such situations, you make the best of the hand you’ve got realizing better hands await.
Such is life for the nationally ranked Ohio State Buckeyes, who host massive underdog Florida A&M on Saturday for a noon kickoff at Ohio Stadium.
Depending on where you look, the 3-0 Buckeyes are anywhere from a 50- to a 57-point favorite over the 1-2 Rattlers.
Count OSU senior defensive back Christian Bryant among those who wishes Ohio State was playing someone else on Saturday.
“I would like to play bigger games, but I mean, it’s really out of our control,” Bryant said. “I’m not really sure who makes the schedule, but we still just have to go out there and face whatever team is put in front of us.”
This one — Florida A&M — is coming off back-to-back losses to Tennessee State and Samford.
The Rattlers have some NFL-type talent in their program, but the playing days of head coach Earl Holmes and assistants Levon Kirkland and Corey Fuller are way past their prime.
“I mean, we know the type of opponent we’re about to face this upcoming Saturday,” Bryant said. “But that really doesn’t give us any reason to lay off or slow down any of our tempo. In practice, we’re still going to go out there and practice like we’re facing a top-10 opponent.”
Chalk Week 4 up as “Ohio State vs. Itself.”
The Buckeyes prepared throughout the week by pushing themselves in practice to improve.
Coach Urban Meyer said he and his staff were going to do everything in their power this week to ensure Ohio State wasn’t flat-out looking past Florida A&M.
“It does make a difference,” Meyer said of caliber of opponents. “I could give you some coach-speak, but (the opponent) does make a difference.”
Nothing looks worse on a BCS resume than a loss to a member of the FCS Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
“These players are smarter than the coaches, so we need to do a very good job of coaching them and not looking past a team,” Meyer said. “You see it all the time, there’s going to be one (upset) every year, maybe two, and there can’t be one this week.”
Meyer did his due diligence scouting the Rattlers. Quarterback Damien Fleming has thrown for 383 yards, and his pair of receivers — including Lennon Lenworth (14 catches, 229 yards) caught Meyers’ eye.
“I see two receivers with excellent speed,” Meyer said. “And their quarterback was an all-conference performer (last season).”
Florida A&M’s defense gives up 21 points and 321 yards of offense per game — in a very risky manner.
“They blitz every down,” Meyer said. “They’re a 3-4 with four or five men coming at you. You’d look silly if you’re not protecting the quarterback or the front side of the run game.”
Ohio State welcomes back running back Carlos Hyde from a three-game suspension. Quarterback Braxton Miller, who has missed nearly two full games with a sprained knee, was expected to play as of Thursday night.
It’s the closest Ohio State has come to having its full complement of players since the season started.
With so many hands on deck, Meyer anticipates competition among his team to get better will be great.
Even if it is against an FCS opponent.
“I’m anxious right now,” Meyer said. “I think there’s a good culture in this program of — to earn playing time, to earn touches, to earn catches, to earn throws; to earn anything — you have to perform very well in practice and that’s all I care about.
“I don’t want to say (the Rattlers) are faceless opponents, because they are not.”
But they are gargantuan underdogs — one of the largest in recent OSU history.
The Buckeyes open the Big Ten season next Saturday against Wisconsin. It will be a prime-time, nationally televised kickoff.
Ohio State has won 15 games in a row.
The team is nationally ranked.
This, Meyer warned, is not the time to take someone lightly.
He knows what he wants to see Saturday.
“A clean, fast (game), competitive spirit and to win the game,” Meyer said.